


Kingdom of the Sun

by wholeorc



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Finn-centric (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Multi, Prince Finn (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23242471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholeorc/pseuds/wholeorc
Summary: Maybe, the Remoran resistance fighters whispered among each other, the prince had been taken by the First Order.
Relationships: Finn & Leia Organa, Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Finn & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey, Poe Dameron & Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Rose Tico
Comments: 16
Kudos: 52
Collections: Finn Centric Recommendations





	1. Chapter 1

Rumors spread fast through the resistance. 

Finn knew it well, there had been all sorts of rumors about what he’d gone through as a stormtrooper when he’d first joined. Some wildly inaccurate, some uncomfortably close to the truth. None of them came from him. He never talked about it, if he could avoid it. Not even with Poe or Rey. 

This rumor had nothing to do with that, though. 

Well, it had to do with Finn, but it wasn’t about him being a stormtrooper. No, this one was about him being a prince. 

He had no idea how it had started, but apparently some resistance members from the planet Remor got the idea in their heads that he was one of the Emperor and Empress’s children. Remor had been attacked by the First Order, and they had died defending it. Their twin children hadn’t been found after the attack, presumed dead, but the Remorans had maintained the hope that they were alive, since their bodies had never been found. Finn was about the age the twins would be now, and apparently bore a resemblance to the distant memory of the Emperor. Maybe, the Remoran resistance fighters whispered among each other, the prince had been taken by the First Order.

It seemed harmless at first, but the Remorans were starting to take it seriously. Straightening their backs when they passed Finn, averting their gazes out of respect he’d suddenly earned in their eyes. And that meant others were starting to take it seriously, too. The staring and whispering at him commenced once more, no longer about his stormtrooper upbringing, but of a royal lineage Finn was sure they’d fabricated in their heads. 

Rey, thankfully, didn’t give a shit. She was a bit annoyed by the unwanted attention Finn was getting when they were in the mess hall, but assured him she didn’t blame him at all for it. Poe thought it was incredibly funny. He’d started bowing whenever he greeted Finn, no matter how much Finn begged him to quit it.

Finn hoped it would end soon, that he could just wait it out and the rumor would fade, but that didn’t seem to be the case. It was everywhere, inescapable. So, when General Organa called him in to see her, he hoped he’d be sent on some off-base mission to get away from everything for a while. 

“Finn.” The general’s tone was unreadable. 

“General Organa.” 

“Come in, sit down.”

Finn did so, letting the doors close behind him and sitting across from her. She bent down under her desk, producing a large bottle and two glasses.

“You drink at all, kid?”

Finn blinked. “Do I-”

“‘Course you do.” She poured them each a helping, setting the bottle aside. She took a long sip from her glass, putting her feet up on the desk. “Quit staring and try it.” 

Finn jumped a little, taking a small sip from his glass. It was spiced and sweet, and made warmth bloom in his chest. “‘S good.” 

“Fine Alderaanian wine.” she murmured fondly, taking another slow drink. 

“May I ask,” Finn wiped his mouth with his sleeve, setting the glass down. “What the occasion is, General?  
“Bad news.”

“Bad news?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors floating around. The Remorans have just about everyone on base convinced you’re their missing prince.” 

Finn groaned, taking bigger swig of the wine. “I have. I’m sorry General, I swear I had nothing to do with it.”

“I believe you.”

“You do?”

“Yes. However, the rumor has spread further than I expected. It’s somehow gotten to the Remoran Empress Taszhaa, and she wants to meet you.” 

Finn spluttered, nearly inhaling the rest of his wine. The general took his glass and poured him some more. “Meet me? But it’s just a rumor! She really thinks I could be her nephew?”

“She’s not convinced. But she is desperate. Remor needs an heir, and she can’t have children.”

“Oh.” 

“Don’t pity her. I can have children and look what it got me.” the general chuckled humorlessly. Finn stared into his wine, unsure what to say. 

“What did you tell her?”

Another swig. “I told her to come here and see for herself. If nothing else, it will be a diplomatic opportunity.” She eyed Finn with sympathy. “Unfortunately, you’re a necessary part. You willing to meet your auntie?”

Finn couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the general’s playfulness. The rumors had been driving him crazy, but he knew she wouldn’t see him any differently whether they were true or not. 

“Yes, general.”

\---

Despite their best efforts, word got around that the Empress of Remor would be showing up at the base for some reason. Most people seemed wise enough not to come snooping as soon as she landed, though. Finn was one of the only people in the docking bay that morning, anxiously watching as a burly guard sauntered out of the surprisingly humble ship. He stood at attention then, waiting for the Empress. 

Out of the ship stepped a stunningly regal woman, with long locs piled elaborately atop her head, dressed in billowing robes. She looked less severe than General Organa, but had the same aura of authority and kindness about her. Finn was almost afraid to meet her gaze as she turned it to him. 

As soon as their eyes met, she ran to him. Finn stood frozen, instinctively opening his arms to the most crushing hug of his life. The empress’s body shook, and it took only a moment to realize she was sobbing into his shoulder. “Areth, my beloved moonbeam, I know it’s you!” she held his face, kissing his cheeks with ferocity, and Finn found himself crying along with her. The thought to correct her had barely crossed his mind before she spoke again. “I know, your name is Finn. Leia told me as much.” 

She sucked in a deep breath, dabbing her eyes delicately with a bit of her sleeve, and held him by the shoulders. “Let me look at you. You’re so big. The last time I held you, you fit in one of my arms. Your sister in the other.” she smiled wistfully, reaching up to gently pat Finn’s tears away as well. “My moonbeam and my sunshine.” 

“Taszh.” A warm voice came from behind Finn. He turned to see General Organa, looking quite pleased to see the both of them, but particularly the Empress.

“My, my! Princess Leia, it’s been a while.” The Empress held out a hand, which Leia kissed with a little curtsy. “And that’s Empress Taszhaa to you.” 

“General Organa to _you_ , Taszh.” Leia retorted, which got a melodic little giggle from the Empress.   
“It’s good to see you, Leia.” 

“It’s good to see you, too.” The general put a hand on her hip, turning to Finn now. “So it’s true, eh? Finn’s really your nephew? Unless the waterworks were for show.” 

“I’m sure of it. He looks exactly like his father.” 

Leia nodded, clapping Finn on the back. “Congrats, kid. You’re Remoran royalty.”

\---

"But why do you have to _leave?"_ Rey was absolutely fuming, slamming her drink down on the table. Finn had just broken the news to her and Poe that he had to go to Remor. Empress Taszhaa was completely convinced, but they had to do a test to truly verify his identity, and start training him to rule in her place if he really was Prince Areth. 

Poe was more on the stunned side. "So, wait, you could actually be royalty?" 

"Who cares! They're taking him away from us!"

"Shut up, you fucked off to train with Skywalker without us for months." 

"That was different!"

Finn buried his head in his hands, tuning out his friends' bickering to try and think. The empress was kind and had already accepted him, but he wasn't sure how much more judgement he could take. General Organa had already warned him that people in high society would be nasty, especially since he didn't have a proper royal upbringing. People would suspect him of faking it for wealth and fame, even though he had nothing to do with the rumors. 

"Finn?" 

Finn flinched, looking up from his hands abruptly. 

"Your hands are shaking." Rey murmured. Finn felt her reaching out with the force to soothe him, but he instinctively cringed away. "Sorry." Rey looked sheepish now, realizing it wasn't really helping. 

"Jeez, Rey, even I could feel that." Poe scolded. He reached to grasp one of Finn's hands firmly, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "Hey, we're here for you, ok? Even if we don't understand what you're going through." 

Finn nodded, avoiding Poe's too-earnest gaze. Something about the warmth of his hand and the kindness of his voice made Finn feel… well, he'd had a small crush on Poe for a while now, but it was starting to get too serious. Too real. Leaving hurt, but maybe it'd let this ridiculous crush die down a little. He didn't want to put Poe through that.

"Thanks." He managed to say, forcing himself to take his hand from Poe's grip.

The rest of the evening served as a pleasant distraction from the unfortunate reality Finn would have to face tomorrow. Poe told seemingly endless funny mission stories, Rey did some tricks with the force after a few drinks, and Finn ended the night crashing into his bed, content. 

A nightmare woke him early the next morning with a headache to boot. After a few futile attempts to go back to sleep, Finn got up to get ready. He decided to leave his bunk and walk around a bit to kill time. 

Upon opening his door, he was greeted by the fanciest droid he’d ever seen. 

“Prince Areth. I am here to escort you to the Empress’s ship.” 

“It’s Finn. How long have you been out here waiting for me?” 

“Five hours and twenty-six minutes.”

Finn groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” he grumbled irritably.

“It is quite alright. Follow me, your highness.” Finn grabbed his bags packed with his few belongings before following her as she asked. 

The droid silently led him along, moving with a strange daintiness he hadn’t seen in any droid before. She glinted in the lamplight, and her elaborate paneling looked almost like a gown. It was quite a walk from his quarters to the docking station, and the silence was starting to get to Finn.

“What’s your name?”

“DT-87.” 

"Nice to meet you." DT-87 did not respond to this, leaving Finn in an uncomfortable silence. “Do you really believe I’m the prince?” He blurted out.

“Empress Taszhaa does, and I trust her judgement.” 

“You sound like General Organa.” Finn grumbled. He still wasn’t convinced. He didn’t want it to be true. 

DT-87 paused, glancing back at Finn curiously. “Do you not believe it to be true?”

“I don’t know what to believe.” 

She tilted her head, giving him a proper look. “I knew Emperor Jem and Empress Lorrel for many years before they died.” 

“And?” 

“And you look remarkably like them.” 

Finn’s stomach dropped. He didn’t hide it very well. “Do I?”

“Your voice sounds just like Jem’s.” She sounded almost fond. “If you are the prince as lady Taszhaa says you are, then I am very pleased to see you again. Finn.” 

She turned away from Finn and continued to lead him along before he could respond. Finn didn’t speak again until they got to the ship. 

He wasn’t sure what he expected when he stepped inside, but he was blown away. It was beautifully furnished, and far roomier than it looked from the outside. The exterior must have been simple to prevent any suspicion it was a royal vessel. 

DT-87 approached a door fitted with an opulent curtain, knocking softly on the frame. “My lady, Finn is here.” A few moments of rustling passed before the curtains flung open, the Empress looking far too chipper and perfect for how early it was. 

“Darling!” she pulled him into a hug, kissing his forehead. “Are you ready to see your home planet?” 

Finn shrugged, staring at the ship’s floor. “I guess so.” 

The empress frowned, letting go of him and looking him over. “ I know it’s scary. But I promise, you will be welcome with open arms. Now, get the rest of your bags and let’s go!” 

“The rest?”

Taszhaa blinked rapidly, examining the floor around Finn's feet for the luggage he was surely missing. “Is this really all you’re taking with you?”

“It’s all I have.” 

Horror overtook the empress’s face. “My poor nephew! You’ve never been spoiled in your life!” Determination quickly replaced the horror on her face. “Well, I’ll fix that. You’ll want for nothing as long as you’re with me, my dear.” 

_Finn!_

Finn jumped out of his skin, his head rattling. That sounded like… Rey’s voice. He must be more jittery than he thought.   
_Finn, wait!_

“What’s wrong, darling?”

“I-” 

A banging on the ship doors caused the two to whirl to see what the commotion was. DT-87 went to answer, and was quickly bowled over by Poe and Rey rushing inside. They slammed into Finn with a near-violent hug, clinging to him almost desperately and talking over each other. It took him a few moments to regain his senses, gently prying them off of him. 

“How did you guys know I was about to leave?”

“We went to your quarters to say goodbye, and you were already gone!” Poe looked… hurt. Rey gave Finn a strange look from over his shoulder.

_I knew you were gone. I felt your dread and woke Poe up._

_Quit poking around in my mind._ Finn thought, a bit offended by the invasion of privacy. 

_I wasn’t._

_What?_

_Finn, you entered my mind, not the other way around._

Finn suddenly felt nauseous, his vision starting to spot.

“Finn, are you ok?” Poe touched his shoulder, grounding him a bit. His eyes flickered to what Finn was wearing- he’d instinctively put on the jacket Poe had given him. It was comforting. 

“‘M fine.” He managed, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Just nervous.” 

“I hate to interrupt, honey, but who are these people?”

“Oh, um,” Finn gestured awkwardly to his friends. “These are my friends, Poe Dameron and Rey. I guess they wanted to see me off. Guys, this is Empress Taszhaa of Remor.” 

“Please, you can call me Auntie Taszh. It’s a pleasure to meet the both of you.” She held out a hand, which Rey stared at in confusion until Poe took it and kissed it. 

“And _I_ am DT-87, the droid you two steamrolled to get in here.” DT twinkle-toed over to where the four of them were gathered, looking quite put out.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am.” Poe instantly turned to her, looking incredibly earnest and charming as he always did, and successfully flustering DT-87’s annoyance away. 

“That is… quite alright.” 

Poe and Rey were both able to give Finn their heartfelt goodbyes, hugging him over and over before DT and Taszh’s bodyguard chased them off. General Organa even stopped by to say goodbye as well, giving Finn a hug and telling him he was a good kid. Finn had to bite back tears when she let go and looked at him with such fondness. They took off as the sun rose.

“So,” Taszh said after her and Finn’s silent breakfast. “That Poe Dameron is very handsome.”

“What?”

“Oh! Are you two not-?”

“No! No! We’re friends. He’s not…” Finn cringed under Taszh’s curious stare. “... interested. In me. Like that.” 

Taszh looked doubtful, but shrugged and dropped it. “Well, you’ll have plenty of suitors on Remor. You’re a handsome young man.” She pinched his cheek, getting a shy little smile out of Finn that delighted her instantly. “It’s true! Good looks run in the family.” She gestured to herself dramatically, making Finn giggle.

Taszh and DT-87’s endless kindness soothed most of Finn’s nerves over the 15-hour trip. They told him stories about his parents, and about the history of Remor. Even the bodyguard, Groth, seemed to warm up to him, though they didn’t speak much. 

In the back of his mind, though, Finn couldn’t stop thinking about what Rey had told him. 

_Finn, you entered my mind, not the other way around._

“Auntie,” he blurted out, interrupting one of her stories. “Does our family have any history with, uh, The Force?” 

Taszh was silent for a long moment, but there was a twinkle in her eye. “Hm. Well, my brother and I never had a strong connection to it.” 

“Oh.”

“Your _mother_ , on the other hand…"

Turns out, Finn's mom was a badass.

Lorrel Maldros was a highly skilled rebel medic, mechanic, and spy, later discovered to be a gifted force user. Jem and Taszhaa had met her through General Organa. She had brought her disguised as a lady-in-waiting to several royal obligations. Partially so they could gather intel and consult each other, but also because Lorrel and Leia had become friends and kept each other sane through so much insufferable posturing. 

Jem and Taszhaa bad never met anyone who hadn't taken them seriously before, and suddenly they were faced by two people who saw themselves as their equals. 

Leia and Taszh leapt into a clumsy romance, which somehow ended amicably. Taszhaa skipped over the details of it with a wave and a bashful expression. "Leia was- is- we've never been on bad terms, she and I." 

Jem and Lorrel didn't move so quickly. They were acquainted for years, but it wasn't until they bumped into each other on a rebellion mission that they fell in love. Hard. 

After the fall of the Galactic Empire, Jem practically begged Lorrel to marry him. She was hesitant to marry into royalty, but their love conquered. The people welcomed their rebel fighter queen with open arms, scars and all. 

She wouldn't be made to conform. Her hair stayed big and wild her whole life, never coerced into the Remoran royal tradition of neat, winding locs. She wore common clothes day-to-day, only dressing up for special occasions. Jem, Taszhaa noted a bit irritably, fell into this habit with his wife. 

And then, one joyous day, Areth and Nyla were born. Twin babies, a boy and a girl, healthy and strong. Taszhaa looked at Finn with such adoration as she said the names, grasping his hands across the table. 

"I was there. I held the both of you, so very small in my arms. I read to you in your cradles. Oh, Finn." 

\---

Their arrival on Remor wasn't in the least bit discrete. They exited the ship to barely-contained commotion from the people, held back by fences and an impossible amount of royal guards. Finn was curious to get a look around, but he was quickly swept away with the other passengers of the ship by a swarm of royal staff. 

The palace was grand and glittering, bathed in rosy light from the system's red sun. It felt like it loomed over Finn as he was rushed toward it, the people's cheering fading into white noise as he tried to process what was happening. 

"We should at least let him get comfortable-!" He heard his aunt shout indignantly, only to be cut off by a fussy advisor telling her that the DNA test was the priority. 

Finn was rushed unceremoniously into the royal infirmary, still surrounded by the posse of concerned royal staff. Taszhaa was being treated far more delicately than him, led to sit on a medical table beside his and asked to present her arm to draw blood.

Finn was jostled into one rather forcefully, receiving dirty looks all the while from people suspicious of his intentions. His arm was grabbed and his sleeve yanked back, making his heart pound in panic. He flexed his fingers and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. _This isn't the first order_ , he thought as firmly as he could manage, struggling to control his breath. _They're not going to hurt me_ , he tried to convince himself, feeling his eyes burn and a lump form in his throat. 

He opened his eyes when he realized nothing had happened, wondering why the hell it was taking so long to jab him with a needle. A nurse stared at him, wide-eyed, frozen with fear aside from her trembling hands. Finn realized he was trembling too. He wished she would get it over with instead of whatever she was doing. He looked up to see the rest of the people in the room staring at them, particularly him.

"Finn, darling," Taszhaa whispered from beside him. "I'm right here. It's alright."

Finn felt calm flow from her, warm and soothing, causing his nerves to still and slowly ebb away. She held out a hand, which Finn took only after a moment's hesitation. He barely realized he'd accidentally sensed her emotions, and that she could tell, before he felt a icy sting his arm and an unsettling draining sensation. The nurse filled the syringe about halfway, looking determined to have steady hands, which Finn appreciated deeply. 

The two of them were patched up and sent off to settle in within minutes after it was done. 

"Empr- Auntie… how could you tell I was-?"

"Your mother did the same thing when she got nervous. When she went into labor with you and Nyla, she had the whole room frozen, she was so scared."

"I thought you said she was brave."

"Bravery is doing something in spite of fear, my moonbeam. It is not a synonym to fearless." She squeezed his hand, radiating warmth and love that calmed Finn down to his core. 

She showed him to his room, which was grand and sprawling. It had to be three times the size of the room he shared back at base with three other people, and it was all for him. 

"I'll have Groth bring you your luggage. For now, settle in." She kissed his forehead. "The DNA results should be done before dinner."

"But what if I'm not really…?"

"You are." She hugged him firmly before leaving him to his privacy, practically gliding away in her long robes. 

He was. 

Finn spent several anxious hours alone in his impossibly grand room, pacing and barely noticing just how opulent it all was. He jumped at the first knock at his door. It was Taszhaa, accompanied by DT and what seemed like the entire royal medical staff. He was unceremoniously informed he really was the prince, as Taszhaa had suspected, and was again swept to medbay for a physical. 

Finn was treated with far more delicacy now, though he was still being poked and prodded like some sort of experiment. His spinal injury was something of particular interest to the nurses, as well as various clusters of scarring from the more unpleasant parts of Stormtrooper training. After far too long being naked in front of strangers, he was finally allowed to dress himself again. 

The end of all the commotion seemed deceptively near, until DT showed up again, now with a cluster of people around his age dressed in gauzy robes. “Handmaidens,” as DT had called them. 

They herded him to his room, taking his measurements and fussing over his appearance for a good 20 minutes once inside before he got fed up and shooed them all out. The last thing he wanted was to be impolite, but he was completely overwhelmed. He barely had time to process he really was Prince Areth before all these strangers had pounced on him. As soon as the door closed, he sunk to the floor, rubbing his temples. He stared blankly at his room, trying to calm his mind before he accidentally froze someone again in his anxiousness. 

His bed was huge, with a canopy and curtains that seemed purely decorational, as sunlight streamed right through it from the window. He had a grand wardrobe with nothing in it, an enormous vanity, a balcony, and a bathroom he hadn’t even looked at yet. 

In that moment he decided to, and found it just as ridiculous as the rest of this place. The tub alone was bigger than his bunk on the resistance base. The floors were marbled, and there was yet another grand mirror above the sink. The last person he wanted to look at was himself right now. 

Dinner came and Finn was relieved to find out it would just be him and his auntie- no entourage. They sat together on one of the castle's many balconies, overlooking the grand garden behind it. Their meal was lavish, like everything else here, consisting of some sort of crustacean native to the planet's southern sea and fresh vegetables with lots of herbs and butter. Dessert was fresh fruit from the garden. It was the most colorful meal Finn had ever eaten. 

All the while, Taszh chattered away, giddy as can be. "I knew it," she kept saying, her eyes gleaming with pride. "I knew it was you. We have much to teach you, but for now we can celebrate!" 

She caught Finn's eyes, her enthusiasm faltering a bit. "What's wrong, darling? Are you alright?"

Finn avoided her gaze, feeling guilty about his discomfort. This was a literal dream come true, but he couldn't help but feel distraught. 

"I'm sorry, Auntie. This is overwhelming for me, that's all. I'll be okay."

Finn felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up. 

"I know it's a strange change. Your mother never truly adjusted to it either. I don't know what you've been through-" her eyes lingered on his other shoulder where he had a pretty gnarled scar. She must've seen his medical evaluation. "- but I promise you, you are loved and wanted here."

Finn nodded, eyes still fixed on his plate. "Thank you." He did trust Taszh. He'd already become quite attached to her- though admittedly, he quickly became attached to anyone who showed him basic kindness and compassion. But he missed the rebel base. He missed Rey and Poe. He missed BB-8. He even missed General Organa. No matter the luxury he was provided here, he still missed them so much it ached. And it had only been a day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to actually posting fic because quarantine! I hope ur all doing well and staying safe <333 I figured this would be a nice fun au to read


	2. Chapter 2

“Leia, he’s miserable! I can’t understand it!” Taszh flounced indignantly, her pout still apparent even in the tiny hologram. Leia sighed. Taszh had called her for a fortnight update and started a frantic unloading of information that hadn’t stopped for a solid half hour. Apparently Finn wasn’t adjusting well to royal life at all, and elected to hide in his room from all the commotion. Leia had had a feeling this would happen. 

“Taszh-”

“He won’t let his handmaidens  _ touch  _ him! He’s been in those filthy rebellion clothes since he got here!”

“Maybe-”

“He only comes out of his room to eat with me! He only talks to the droids!” 

“Taszh!”

Taszh started, finally giving Leia a chance to get a word in.    
“Not everyone’s cut out for royal life, hon. I wasn’t and neither was Lorrel.” 

“I could never understand it.” Taszh’s shoulders slumped. “I wouldn’t mind so much if I didn’t need a successor so desperately.” 

“I know. Hey, at least you still have a planet.” Leia shrugged. 

Taszh crossed her arms. “That’s not funny.”

“Never said it was.”

"I just don't know what to do."

Leia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Neither do I."

\---

Base was boring as hell without Finn. Rey wondered if this was how Finn felt when she was away with Master Skywalker. The days dragged by with nobody to hang around- Poe was decent company, but hanging around him without Finn was awkward. They had a camaraderie, sure, but it seemed they didn’t know how to talk to each other one-on-one. 

So Rey spent a good amount of the first week without Finn alone, only really seeing Poe in the mess hall and hovering around him awkwardly. He seemed to be adjusting far better, though that was expected. Still, Rey could sense he missed Finn just as much as she did. 

Training on base was also significantly lonelier. She didn’t exactly constantly have Finn’s company, but she often finished late at night- Finn was often woken by nightmares and had gotten into the habit of visiting Rey during the tail end of her training. He’d arrive unnoticed, as Rey focused so intently on training that her surroundings would escape her. She’d notice him sitting on the ground, observing her silently and enjoying the quiet. She’d then walk him back to his bunk on the way to her own, occasionally using The Force to help calm his nerves if his nightmares were particularly distressing. They rarely spoke, but it was always nice. 

“Rey,” A voice hissed out from the darkness. Rey flinched so hard she practically leapt into the air, nearly dropping the stack of lunch trays she’d been floating with The Force. She winced further as they clacked together, the sound cracking through the night’s silence. She had been up far later than she realized.

“Holy shit.” Rey recognized the voice this time. Poe. 

“Dameron! You interrupted my… training.”

Poe didn’t buy it, snorting. “Training?” 

“Shut up! What are you doing out of the base so late?” 

Poe shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep, same as you.” 

Rey exhaled, lowering the lunch trays she’d been messing around with to the ground. She couldn’t understand how he could be so intuitive without using The Force. Before she’d had proper training, she could never read people the way he seemed to so effortlessly. Even with it, she struggled. 

“That’s unsanitary,” Poe remarked, making himself comfortable on a log beside a nearby bonfire pit. “Whoever’s on shift for breakfast is not gonna be happy with you.” 

Rey rolled her eyes, sitting beside him on the log and staring at the empty bonfire pit for a long moment. 

“I miss Finn, too.” 

Rey started, looking up expecting she was being teased only to find nothing but kindness on Poe’s face. She struggled to think of a decent response, but couldn’t, defaulting to a small nod. Poe seemed satisfied enough by this.    
“Wanna know a secret?” 

Rey raised an eyebrow. “... yes.” 

Poe smiled, suddenly looking quite bashful. He seemed to be in rare form- his confidence was usually unshakable, earned or not. Was the secret that big? 

“I have kind of a crush on Finn.” 

That was it? Rey blinked, furrowing her brows as she took in his confession. “Huh.”

“That’s all you have to say?”

Rey shrugged. “Suppose so. I thought a secret of yours would be far more scandalous than a crush on a wonderful person.” 

Poe blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess when you put it that way, it’s not as big of a deal as I thought.” 

“Want to know something I’ve been keeping secret?”

“As long as it’s not that you have a crush on Finn too.” 

Rey wrinkled her nose. “No, ugh. I don’t like men like that.” 

Poe’s head snapped up. “You don’t?”

“... no? What’s the big deal?” 

Poe shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. I just didn’t expect you to come out to me.” 

“Come out of what? Anyway, back to the secret.” Rey leaned toward Poe, looking up at him gravely. She lowered her voice to barely a whisper...

\---

“FINN IS FORCE SENSITIVE?” Leia's voice thundered through the room, Taszh squeaking in surprise.

“I thought you knew!” She pouted, watching helplessly as Leia’s hologram stormed around her table. “Aren’t you sensitive to it too?”

“Yes! That’s not the point! Stars, Taszh, this is a huge deal. You said he froze a room full of people?” 

“... yes.” 

“Shit. Shit!” Leia yanked her chair out from her desk and slammed down, burying her head in her hands. “The poor kid has no control over it. It must’ve been triggered by all the stress.” 

“Well, you know Lorrel was-”

“I know. But she had training to keep it under control. If he’s as powerful as she was, we have a problem.” 

Taszhaa bit her lip, hesitant to say anything more. They sat in tense silence before she mustered a whisper. “Are you going to take him away from me?” 

Leia stilled, lifting her head to look at Taszh. Taszh looked back pleadingly. Leia's face was stony, but there was softness beneath it. “I don’t know how to handle this, Taszh, but we can’t just do nothing.” 

\---

By the end of their second week without Finn, Poe and Rey had bonded quite a bit. Poe had taken to joining Rey during her Force training, tossing objects for her to catch in mid-air, and chatting with her to help with her multitasking. It was quite a nice system, and Rey found herself appreciating Poe’s company and humor more and more. 

They were having a lovely conversation today, the evening past golden hour and well into blue hour. It was warm and balmy, and Rey was standing on her head showing off a particularly silly exercise Luke Skywalker had taught her. 

BB-8 rolled up to them in a rush, their frantic beeps bringing the lazy evening to a screeching halt. Poe was the first to meet them, followed by Rey once she managed to get back on her feet and set the log she'd been floating down with a minimal thud.    
“General Organa wants to see us. Immediately.” Poe answered Rey before she could even ask, and the two were off chasing after the little droid as fast as their feet could carry them. 

The General needing to see them urgently rarely meant anything good. 

Leia was finishing a hologram call when they entered, hanging up when she heard them come in. “Poe. Rey. Come sit.” 

They did so, sitting across from her at her desk. 

“I have news.” 

Poe leaned forward. “Bad news?”

“Good news and bad news.”

Rey stiffened, her back going rigid as a board. “What is it, General?” 

“Finn is force sensitive.” Leia sat back, waiting for shock. She narrowed her eyes when neither Poe nor Rey immediately displayed any. “Did you know?” 

They glanced at each other nervously, giving Leia all the information she needed. “You knew.” 

“Yes, General.”

“And you didn’t report it to me immediately because-?” 

Rey blinked. “I didn’t think it was anyone’s business but Finn’s.”

“But he told you and Poe.” 

“Well… I told him, actually. He didn’t know he was and accidentally reached out to me before he left.” 

“I see.” Leia leaned back in her chair. “And Poe knows because…?”

Rey and Poe exchanged another sheepish glance. “Rey told me, General.” 

Leia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Alright. Well, I have good news for you. Though I’m not sure I like rewarding this little conspiracy.” 

The two braced themselves. "Good news" was entirely relative in The Resistance. 

“Finn has been having trouble acclimating to his new life. I’m sending you two to Remor to help him adjust, and you, Rey, specifically to assist him in gaining control over his Force Sensitivity.” 

A smile twitched at Leia’s mouth as she watched the two light up at the news. She knew they’d been missing him sorely, hell, she had too. She could only imagine what the kid was going through. 

\---

Finn had been dodging DT-87 for 2 days now. He managed to take courtyard walks without being noticed, but she was becoming trickier. She’d brought up to him a few days prior that he’d need his ears pierced- it was royal tradition. Finn hated needles and quickly changed the subject, but she was persistent about it. He didn’t think much of it until her and a small team of handmaidens tried to nab him from his daily walk route. He barely escaped them, rushing to his room and locking himself in. It seemed DT was losing her patience with him.

So when she knocked on his door, he refused to let her in. 

“Finn! I promise it’s not about your ears.”

“Forgive me for not trusting you.” 

“Lady Taszhaa wishes to speak to you!” 

“Then she can come here herself!” 

A muffled groan of frustration came from the other side of the door, and Finn listened to DT’s tinny footsteps as she stomped off. He thought that was the end of that, until he heard his auntie’s voice on the other side of the door a few minutes later. 

“Finn, darling! I have news! Could you let me in?” 

Finn hopped up from his bed, cracking the door open to make sure Taszh wasn’t hiding a team of royal ear piercers or something behind her. He widened the door when he was sure the coast was clear, letting her into his room.

His bedroom was still neat, but not for lack of trying. His things simply didn’t come close to enough to make the room seem messy. There was just too much space. Taszh seemed bothered by the miniscule amount of clutter nonetheless, but said nothing about it. 

“What’s the news, auntie?” 

Taszh smiled, sitting daintily on the side of Finn’s bed and patting the spot beside her for him to sit. “Well, I was talking with General Organa. I told her you’re having trouble adjusting, so we’ve arranged for your friends to come visit you!” 

Finn’s heart leapt, elation encompassing him for just a moment. However, this was quickly replaced with suspicion. “My friends, a Jedi in training and the best pilot in the resistance, are coming here? My friends, crucial resistance fighters?”

Taszh bit her lip, looking a bit guilty. “I… may have told Leia you’re Force sensitive and have almost no control over it.” 

Finn leapt from his seat, panic rising up his throat. “Auntie!” 

“I’m sorry, darling! I thought she knew! But- but we agreed your friends would likely be able to help you-!” 

This was all so much. Finn wasn’t sure if he could even feel any excitement or relief- a visit meant they would eventually leave and he would have to stay. Remor was starting to feel more like prison than home. Who could he talk to about that? Not his auntie- it’d break her heart. Not Poe and Rey- they’d try to bust him out and create even more problems. No matter what, he couldn't win. 

"Okay." He sighed, resting his head on her shoulder. He felt her hand reach up and toy with his hair. It was comforting for a moment until he felt her twisting a loc into it. He winced away, giving her a dirty look. She smiled sheepishly. 

"You'd impress your friends if they saw you in traditional dress~" She sing-songed, reaching for his hair again. 

Finn rolled his eyes, swatting her hand away. "Maybe. Maybe locs. And maybe some civilian clothing. But I'm not ready for those robes yet. Or any piercings."

Taszh seemed delighted enough by the tiny compromise, clapping her hands together. "Wonderful! We'll get you out of these dusty things-" she reached for his jacket, but Finn held it on tightly. 

"I didn't say I wanted to get rid of my own clothes. Just try some new ones." 

"Fine. DT will be happy to hear it."

"DT will only be happy when I have metal through my ears."

Taszh shrugged, standing up and giving Finn a kiss on the forehead. "I'm sure they will look lovely on you. I’ll have some clothes sent up to your room. Maybe you could even have your handmaidens dress you-?” Finn narrowed his eyes at Taszh, and she backpedaled quickly. “ -or not. Baby steps.” she kissed his cheek and flounced out of the room, notably more cheerful than when she came in. 

\---

This felt too good to be true. On top of getting to visit Finn for an indefinite amount of time, Leia was letting them take the Millenium Falcon on the trip. Rey suggested she was getting soft, but Poe would have no such thing. 

They were given a few hours to pack up, but launch was happening today- Leia was in a hurry to have Finn able to control his powers. Rey didn't blame her. She and Poe were ready to go in record time, the two of them happily loading up the ship with their things. Rey was about to pick a fight with Poe about who was driving when they were stopped by Leia. 

"You have to wait for your mechanic."

"Mechanic?" Poe huffed, looking downright affronted. "General, why do we need anyone else? This is more or less a personal mission, and I'm more than qualified to repair-"

"X-Wings." Leia interrupted him before he could feed her any bullshit. "But this is the Falcon. I'm sending one of our best mechanics with you. Be appreciative." 

"Well," Rey interjected, barely-contained irritation in her voice. "They should hurry up. We haven't got all day."

Leia eyed Rey, amused. "Impatient. Not very Jedi-like. She'll get here when she gets here, then you all can enjoy your 2 day trip to Remor. I'm sure you'll bond." 

"Hold on." Poe caught the General's shoulder as she turned to leave. "Two days? Finn's trip was 15 hours."

"In a compact, highly specialized royal vessel. The Falcon ain't gonna make it that fast, but still fast." Leia shrugged. "You have plenty of resources for the trip. Ah." She nodded toward a figure in the distance jogging toward them. "Here's your mechanic. Rose Tico, this is Poe Dameron and Rey." Leia gestured toward the woman, who was panting slightly and hauling a massive backpack. She nodded, too breathless to speak words immediately. 

"Poe, Rey, this is Rose." Leia clapped her hand on the woman's shoulder. "She's a damn fine mechanic, and your new roomie. Have fun, kids." 

With that, Leia was off before any of the three of them could get past their shock to protest. Rose caught her breath at some point, shaking each of their hands in an iron, calloused grip. “Pleased to meet you, it’s an honor.”

“No need to be honored, we’re no more special than you are.” Poe responded instinctively. He didn’t want her nervous the whole trip, and she seemed nice enough. If Leia spoke highly of her, she must be good.

Rey had stiffened after her handshake, looking a bit ill. He elbowed her, which produced a grunt of agreement. Rose furrowed her brows, understandably confused by Rey’s weird hermit behavior, and was only further confused when Rey retreated into the Falcon without saying anything more. Rose turned her confused gaze to Poe, who could only shrug. “She’s not good with people. Don’t take it personal. C’mon, let’s get moving.” 

He and Rose entered the Falcon, Rose heading straight to the engine room to do some cursory pre-launch checks. Poe elected to go to the cockpit where he had a feeling Rey was hiding.

He found her there as he suspected, hunched in the pilot seat and curled around her staff like it was a teddy-ewok. 

“What the hell was that!” He hissed, causing her to jump and look up at him owlishly. “We don’t even know her yet, why were you being so-” he paused, realizing there was some serious panic on her face. “-are you alright?”

“She’s pretty.” Rey blurted. 

Ah. 

Poe eased into the seat beside her, careful not to startle her any further. Last thing they needed was a panicked novice Force user right now. “Is she?” 

“She is!” Rey’s grip on her staff tightened. 

“I see.”

“And she shook my hand.” 

“She did.” 

“She touched me.”

“Yep.” Poe could barely repress his urge to grin. This was cute, but Rey wouldn’t appreciate any teasing right now. “You gonna survive this trip?” 

Rey made a face like she might throw up, but it passed before Poe could think to get out of range. 

“Yes. For Finn.”

Poe couldn’t keep from laughing at that. She made it sound like this was life-or-death. He ignored her mortified look, just giving her a pat on the shoulder. “For Finn.” He agreed, smiling when that seemed to calm Rey down enough. “Move over, tiger, you’re in no state to pilot.” 

Rey sighed, knowing herself well enough not to protest. She strapped herself into the co-pilot seat, crossing her arms. 

Rose popped her head into the cockpit, not seeming to notice when Rey tensed right back up as soon as she sensed her presence. “Engine’s looking good. Ready to launch!”

“Nice! Buckle in, Rosie, let’s get moving.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is well! Thanks for all the sweet comments :) I'm really enjoying writing this story so I'm glad yall like reading it uwu


	3. Chapter 3

Damn DT and her damn stubbornness.

Finn tugged at his newly pierced earlobes again, wincing. Giving in to wearing casual Remoran dress had become an avalanche of compromises. He’d agreed to what Taszh had called a “spa day” before seeing his friends, since he still had two days to wait. 

“I know you’ve been so stressed,” she said. “It will be fun!” she said. 

Finn sat beside Taszh in chairs that were stupidly decadent, like everything else around here, and at first it wasn’t so bad. Handmaidens swirled around them, dainty fingers picking up Finn’s calloused ones and manicuring them to perfection. His chair was rolled over to a hair washing station- that was Finn’s favorite. He allowed the handmaidens to twist his hair into short little locs, watching them pluck beads and shells from trays to decorate them. He even got comfortable enough to make small talk, which seemed to surprise them, but they were happy to oblige. 

DT even came and joined them, merrily chatting with Taszh. Finn was having such a nice time he didn’t notice their conspiratorial glances. 

The subject of ear piercing came up. Finn ignored it at first, but it became more pointed. “Your mother even got her ears pierced,” Taszh said. “It would look so lovely on you.”

Somehow, Finn gave in, and DT and the handmaidens were on him with a needle before he could change his mind.

He looked at himself in the mirror, feeling… different. There was something deeply uncomfortable about how different he looked, and yet it wasn't that big of a change. Lightweight Remoran garb that was admittedly a lot more comfortable in this climate than his resistance clothes, short locs bristling up from his head and decorated with shells and gold, and a fresh piercing in each ear, the stones set in them glinting slightly. He didn't look bad at all. Just strange. Like himself, but off. 

Like Areth. 

He wrenched his eyes from his reflection before he could dwell more on that thought, looking instead at his room that had been sneakily cleaned in his absence. His old clothes had been washed and tucked away in his wardrobe, out of sight. The room looked as sterile as it had when he first arrived. 

He dug his jacket from the drawer, putting it back on and looking in the mirror again. Better. He was still Finn. Just… fancy Finn. He could do fancy. He shrugged the jacket off, folding it back up and tucking it back into the drawer. 

Walking around, Finn definitely felt a lot less out of place than he had. He even managed to sneak out of the palace for a few late night walks in the plaza. Remor was a beautiful place, especially in the stillness of night. It had two moons, one larger than the other. They cast a gentle blue over everything in the marketplace. 

Finn’s favorite thing, though, was the odd little feline creatures native to the palace city. Long-bodied, four-eyed things, with short, silky fur and Y-shaped tails. They were nocturnal and very friendly, clearly used to human interaction from being around such a bustling population. Finn would be sitting on a bench staring at the sky and suddenly find himself with several of the little things making themselves comfortable on his lap and curled up beside him in purring piles. He always felt bad when he inevitably had to get up and head back to the palace, waking them from their naps. 

\---

Of all the things Poe expected from going to visit Finn on Remor, the trip there being such an ordeal was not one of them. 

The Falcon itself was perfectly fine. Smooth sailing. But navigating living on it for two days in close quarters with the most awkward woman in the galaxy and the oblivious object of her affections, whom they both barely knew, was rocky territory. 

Rose seemed nice enough. She was a stern and passionate person who was excited for the opportunity to see Remor and meet Finn. She tinkered with some random gadgets she'd packed in her spare time. Nice gal. This seemed to be too much for Rey, however. 

The girl lost all non basic communication capabilities around her. Couldn't hold a conversation to save her life. It was a little sad to watch. Poe knew Rey was an awkward person but this was way worse than he'd ever seen from her. He decided to stay out of it, mostly because he had no clue how to help her out. 

Poe's nerves were more than a little frayed by the tail end of the trip. Maybe it was Rey's jittery energy rubbing off on him, but something about seeing Finn again filled him with more dread than excitement. They wouldn't be on a mission, or spending short bursts of time together like they did on base whenever they could. This would be unstructured, indefinite time with Finn. Even with Rey and Rose, Poe felt a bit overwhelmed by it. He hadn't considered the logistics of keeping his crush under wraps in this situation.

"Poe!" 

Poe started, whirling to see Rose looking quite excited holding something in her hands. 

"Oh! Hey, Rosie, did you need something?"

Rose nodded, proudly holding up the object for Poe to get a better look. 

"... a compact holo projector?" Poe wasn't really sure what was so special about that. 

"Well, yes, but I've been modifying it to pick up signals from further range!" She grinned, clicking it on and turning a knob Poe hadn't noticed. She twisted it like she was tuning a radio, fragments of image and sound jumbling from it as she did. 

"Wow, that's… really impressive, actually. General Organa would definitely appreciate that." 

Rose looked absolutely delighted, clicking the holo projector back off and startling Poe with a hug. He patted her back, ruffling her hair as she let go and scurried back off to her quarters. What a funny woman. 

Something about their little interaction had soothed Poe's nerves. Her pure enthusiasm had snapped him out of. Whatever that was. If only the same could be said for Rey. 

\---

The hubbub for the arrival of the Falcon was much smaller than it had been for Finn and Empress Taszhaa's return. The crowd was largely royal staff and security, only a few civilian onlookers this time. Finn was more interested in them than watching the Falcon's slow descent. Young resistance hopefuls, eager to get even a glimpse of the legendary pilot and jedi-in-training coming to visit Finn. According to DT, his approval rating with Remor's teens was stellar. It was a weird thing to hear. 

He jerked his head back to the landing strip when he heard the Falcon touch the ground, steam hissing from it as it settled. His heart was pounding. 

Out climbed Rey first, surveying her new surroundings until her eyes locked on Finn. She broke into a sprint straight for him. 

The royal guards instinctively moved to defend him and were promptly toppled back onto their asses by The Force, Rey slamming into Finn and hugging him so tightly it hurt. He didn't even care. He hugged her back, closing his eyes as the two of them rocked side to side. His eyes stung. He'd missed her so much. 

She finally pulled back, getting a proper look at him. "Finn! You're so pretty!" Her eyes darted around excitedly, fixing first on the glimmering beads and shells in his hair, then the fresh piercings in his ears. Her brows furrowed and she reached to touch a piercing, Finn wincing from her hand. 

Rey turned suspicious eyes on the Empress. "Mutilation?" 

"Decoration, dear. He agreed to it." Taszhaa assured her, unphased by the anger simmering in Rey's voice. Rey looked back to Finn for confirmation, and he gave a sheepish shrug.

She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by Poe, who had just caught up to her with Rose. 

"Sorry about Rey, your Majesty." Poe took the hand offered to him and kissed it, bowing his head. "We talked about formalities but she was just so excited to see Finn-"

Taszhaa waved it off with a laugh. "I don't blame her. Finn is wonderful." 

Finn's face burned as all eyes were suddenly on him. Poe seemed intrigued by Finn's new appearance as well, almost entranced. And the other woman with them- whoever she was- was helping up some of the guards Rey had knocked over. 

"Young lady! I believe you and I need to be introduced." Taszhaa called, smiling as the woman approached. She curtsied once she was close enough to speak to them. 

"My name is Rose Tico, your majesty. I've been assigned this mission as a mechanic." She stared at the ground, her face flushed. 

The empress tittered. "No need to be so shy, darling." She assured her, placing a hand on Rose's shoulder. "My name is Taszhaa. Call me Taszh."

Rose exhaled and nodded, finally making eye contact- first with the Empress, then with Finn. She held out a hand to him, which Finn took after a beat. Her handshake was hearty, her hands rough. "Prince Finn. My name is Rose, it's an honor to be on this mission." 

"Please, just Finn. I'm, um, flattered." He corrected her. Rose dropped his hand and nodded. 

"Well!" Taszh clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's welcome our guests!"

\---

Servants bustled back and forth from the Falcon, helping everyone unpack and get settled into their guest rooms. The commotion was comforting to Finn, even if it meant he'd have to wait the tiniest bit longer to spend some proper time with his friends. 

He sat in the courtyard while he waited, picking leaves off plants and arranging them into idle patterns on the table. A rustle from the courtyard entrance got his hopes up for a moment, only to see that it was Rose. He felt a bit bad to be disappointed to see her, but he'd really been hoping for Poe or Rey. 

She gave an awkward wave when she was noticed, Finn waving back. Rose joined him at the table, scanning the little designs he'd been making with the leaves. 

"You're good with patterns," she observed. "That's an asset for a mechanic." 

Finn raised an eyebrow. "You would know." 

"I would!" Rose agreed with enthusiasm, picking a few leaves and joining him in his art project. She seemed content to quietly arrange leaves with him on the table. 

"I know some basics." Finn blurted, surprising himself. He wasn't one to volunteer personal information, but something about her was so… friendly. Irresistibly so.

Rose perked up at that. "Really?" 

"Yeah!" Finn grinned. "I learned when I was, um…" he trailed off, his smile fading. A Stormtrooper. "Younger." He concluded, returning his focus to the tabletop. 

Rose placed a hand over his. "That's OK." 

They sat like that for a while. Quiet, more contemplative than uncomfortable. 

"Wanna see something cool I'm working on?"

Finn looked up from the table. "...yeah, sure."

Rose fished around in her pocket, pulling out a compact holo projector. 

"I'm modifying this so it has a way bigger range." She demonstrated tuning it, image and sound garbling around as she did. 

"Woah."

"Right? Poe said General Organa would want it but-" Rose hesitated, clicking it off. 

"But what?" 

"Well, I was sort of making it for you."

Huh? "For me?" Finn was flattered but admittedly confused by the sentiment.

"Yeah. Sort of a, um, sorry-I-crashed-your-reunion-I-hope-we-can-still-be-friends gift?" Rose wrinkled her nose at how awkward that sounded, tucking the gadget back in her pocket. "I know it's weird to have a stranger come along with your two best friends to visit you. But I hoped we could maybe become friends." She shrugged. 

"I'd like that." Finn said, and he meant it. Rose had thoroughly won him over already. She was friendly and geeky, and Finn was happy to meet someone who saw him as a person to befriend rather than a legend to gawk at. It felt nice. 

Rose smiled, grasping Finn's hands. Her delight was infectious, causing Finn to let out a giggle. "Okay!"

\---

This palace was huge. It took Poe forever to escape the staff, all curious and zealous to help him. Rey, he had to find where she was staying. He crept from his massive room, dodging a few more staff members and peeking into guest rooms until he located Rey's- free of chaos and fully unpacked already. 

He knocked once and the door swung open, revealing Rey's equally stupidly big room. So big, he didn't see where she was right away. He stepped in, spotting her perched at the vanity, staff in hand. 

"This place is insane." He hissed, shutting the door behind him. "I could barely get away from the staff, how'd you get them to leave you alone?"

"Force." Rey said, as if that explained everything. 

"Sure, okay." Poe ran his hands through his hair, sitting on Rey's bed. "This is. Wow. This is a lot."

Rey nodded, not offering any comment. She observed Poe from where she sat, putting him a bit on edge. 

"What?" He hadn't meant to snap, but he did. Rey didn't seem to notice. 

"Finn looks very nice." Mischief overtook her expression when Poe glared at her. 

"Shut up."

"He's pretty and sparkly now, like a prince."

"That's because  _ is  _ a prince." Poe huffed, hating the way this conversation was going. 

"Oh, I know." Rey was pushing his buttons. Poe cursed himself for teaching her to do that. He'd created a monster. "Are you going to be able to handle it?" 

Poe sighed, head in his hands. "I don't know. We're supposed to be here to help him out, not distract him even more." 

"Who says distracting isn't helping?" Rey stood, moving to sit beside Poe and placed a hand on his back. She put out a bit of calm with the Force, which would usually annoy Poe but he appreciated it this time. 

"You oughta learn that calm trick for yourself. You were a basket case the whole trip." 

Rey let out a huff, slapping Poe's shoulder indignantly. "That's different! Rose is-" she reddened when Poe started to laugh, standing again. "Out, Dameron!" She barked, pushing him up off her bed and out her door. "Bastard!" The door wooshed shut, leaving Poe laughing to himself in the corridor. At least he wasn't the only one suffering through a crush. 

He took his time walking back to his own room, exploring the palace a bit. It was huge and beautiful, echoing around him with each step. Columns towered at impractical height around him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment for how luxurious it all was. It wasn't like the people of Remor were wanting while the royals were thriving. This building was clearly ancient and lovingly tended to, and the people were all fed and housed and happy. But the contrast between cramped resistance quarters and this place's grandeur was still uncomfortable. 

A courtyard came into view, Poe deciding to go check it out. He was a few steps in before he noticed Finn, freezing in his tracks. He was sitting with Rose, the two of them having an animated conversation Poe couldn't quite make out.  _ Of course they made friends right away _ , he thought. He stood there unnoticed, watching them until he felt creepy and decided to go back inside. 

He went on a walk that evening after everything was settled. Dinner had been an ordeal, with four courses of delicious food none of them had tried before. Rey was the most appreciative, of course, always one to love literally any food she tried. Taszh was delighted by her enthusiasm, even if Rey wasn't the most… polite eater. 

Poe had barely gotten a word in to Finn, all the ladies taking up most of his attention in conversation. Finn's presence seemed to negate Rose's effect on Rey, and he happily chatted with them both the entire meal. Not that Poe would have said anything if it was silent. He was still so stunned by seeing Finn again, and Finn looking so. Well. Beautiful. 

It was nice to have some silence and observe Remor for himself. The market was closed for the evening and almost nobody was out and about, so Poe got some much needed time alone. He looked back at the palace behind him, looming. It was amazing. He tried to imagine General Organa living in a place like that. He knew that she had, but he couldn't picture it. Not even as she was when she was still a princess, like he'd seen in old holograms. Even then, she hadn't looked dainty like he'd thought she might. She looked fierce, defiant to the flowing formal gowns and dainty coiled hairstyles she wore. 

Poe sat on a bench, lost in thought as he looked up at Remor's moons. Even they seemed glamorous. 

A rubbing against his leg startled him, and he looked down to see a little feline critter purring and practically demanding his attention. He obliged it after a moment, patting the spot beside him. It hopped up, letting out a contented little  _ mrow _ when he scratched behind its ears. 

\---

A knock at his bedroom door caused Finn to jump, hurrying to finish changing into his sleep clothes before cracking the door open. It was Rose. 

"Can I come in?" She whispered.

Finn let her in, noting she was in a nightgown and carrying a duffel bag, which was a strange combination. 

"It's late, what are you doing here?" 

Rose sat down on the floor, plopping the duffel bag in front of her with a thud. "I'm making some progress on your present! I thought you might want to see." She unzipped it, revealing a mess of tools and circuit boards with the holo projecter placed on top of it all.

Finn's confusion was overcome by curiosity and he sat beside her, leaning in as she opened up the small access panel and started fiddling with the device. She snapped it shut after a few adjustments and handed it to him. "Try." 

Finn clicked it on, tuning it like he remembered her showing him that afternoon. The images were a bit more cohesive before, actual voices coming through. 

Something called to him. It urged him to tune it a certain way, and he followed it, unsure where it would lead. A silhouette came into view, detailless, but clearer than anything before. 

"They must be really far away." Rose murmured. 

_ -719. The First Order has yet to find me. _

The voice was fuzzy, but they could understand it well enough.

_ We are in need of contact with General Organa. We- _

The voice paused, the little projected figure tilting its head. 

_ Who's there? _

Rose and Finn held their breath. Surely they weren't referring to them?

_ Who is there?  _ It demanded.  _ I know you are there. I can feel your presence.  _

Finn's eyes widened. The feeling came back even stronger. "They know." He whispered to Rose. 

"They shouldn't! We're just observing, it's a one-way ca-"

_ I do know. Our call has been intercepted. I feel a presence in the Force.  _

"WHAT?" Rose yelped, leaping to her feet. Finn was frozen. The Force, of course it was. Always with the Force. 

_ Whoever you are, speak to me directly. Don't eavesdrop like a cowa- _

Rose snatched the device and turned it off, a panicked giddiness overcoming her. 

"Rose!"

"Finn!" She knelt back on the ground, digging through her duffel bag. "We have to improve that signal. The Force brought you guys together! They were right, you need to talk!" 

Finn watched Rose pop the device back open and start to dissect it, feeling a bit faint. 

"I don't have any idea who that was."

"We know they're Resistance, and that they were trying to reach General Organa. We could help them! The Force wants us to!" 

"You seem to know an awful lot about the Force." Finn huffed, although he knew she was probably right. It had literally drawn him to find that person. 

"Come on, we can work together." She grasped his hand, giving it a squeeze. 

Finn sighed. Couldn't hurt to freshen up his mechanical knowledge. "Okay."

Rose smiled, digging up a padd from the bag and tossing it to him. "Read up, your majesty." 

Finn rolled his eyes, opening the book on it about holo-tech and beginning to read while Rose eagerly tinkered with the projector.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: TFA is the only sequel movie I watched and when i tried to find video reference for Rose's characterization all I got was videos of fanboys bitching about her :/ I referenced the wiki and did my best, and I like how she came out in this. I hope you do too!   
> I hope yall are well and as happy and healthy as you can be <3


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